Mildew is a problem the world over. Any warm, damp surface is an open invitation for airborne mildew spores to take root and grow. Growing rapidly in the right environment, mildew quickly become visible as dark black-green spots.
Whether in a bath, closet, basement or on outside walls, mildew is an unwelcome guest. Homeowners in particular fight to remove this stubborn unsightly fungus.
Thankfully, there are products available in the retail market for killing mildew and bleaching stains caused by mildew. Most widely used are chlorine-containing compositions. Regular cleaning with these compositions can control the mildew, but multiple cleanings can damage painted surfaces by removing some of the paint and roughening the surface. Eventually, those areas dry and crack allowing water to more easily penetrate past the protective paint. The resulting moisture-laden cracks are the prefect environment for mildew regrowth.
It is desirable to both inhibit this regrowth and limit the possible damage caused by repeated harsh cleanings.
A solution to both problems has evolved over the last twenty years whereby concentrated mildewcide "additives" are purchased by the consumer and mixed with coatings prior to application.
However, this method of mildew control is not without problems. Among them are:
1. An E.P.A. requirement that all mildewcide additives be registered in every state in which they are sold. PA1 2. The likelihood of confusion as to concentration. The recommended dosage for one product is only nine grams while that of another is almost ninety grams. PA1 3. Freedom for consumers to add too much or too little product which can lead to too little protection, yellowing, chalking, or graying of the dried coating. PA1 4. Finite length of time an additive will be effective. The U.S. Navy tests of 1985-1986 and the National Bureau of Standards tests of 1975-1976 show that tested additives began losing effectiveness within months after outdoor exposure in hot, humid climates. PA1 5. The cost of labor and materials required to recoat for the sole purpose of controlling mildew can often be exorbitant. PA1 1. U.S. Pat. No. 2,476,235 to Benignus discloses a soaked-in or brushed-on treatment for fibrous materials and textiles to imbue long-term fungal resistance under weathering conditions. The fungicide is a metallic salt of hydroxyquinoline or pentachlorophenate in a modified alkyd resin which may contain an aqueous wax suspension to provide waterproofing to the treated surface. PA1 2. U.S. Pat. No. 2,486,961 to Meyer describes an aqueous or nonaqueous bath for imparting mildew-resistance to cellulose textiles. Dihydroxybenzophenone-based mildewcides are used as the active ingredient. The composition may contain a water-repellant such as a wax emulsion. PA1 3. U.S. Pat. No. 2,818,344 to Buckman discloses mildew-resistant paint compositions using barium borates and/or barium borosilicates in an oil or oil emulsion vehicle. PA1 4. U.S. Pat. No. 2,970,081 to McCall et al. discloses a fungistatic and bacteriostatic soap, wax polish, or plastic composition in which the active ingredient is an aromatic hydroperoxide. PA1 5. U.S. Pat. No. 3,116,969 to Coleman teaches a fungicidal, tacky aqueous coating as a dip or spray to treat air filters. This employs quaternary ammonium salts as an antimicrobial. PA1 6. U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,981 to Long describes a fungicidal coating, a method of surface application, and mildew-resistant paper products produced thereby. This composition employs metal salts of quinolinolate, and a binder of a wax or wax-resin emulsion especially one containing paraffin wax. PA1 7. U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,757 to Groszek et al. teaches an aqueous wax emulsion which is brushed or sprayed on as a biocidal coating to be used on underwater surfaces to combat bacterial and algal growth. PA1 8. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,347,266 and 4,525,501 to Norman et al. discloses an aqueous, anti-soiling pre-coat spray of polymer for use on water-resistant articles. It is used to form a sacrificial undercoat film on, e.g., automobiles. This composition may contain a little biocide such as orthophenoxyphenol. PA1 9. U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,255 to Hein describes a water-proofing and preserving composition for use on permeable substrates such as wood, fiber, and concrete. An aqueous dispersion of saturated hydrocarbon wax is mixed with an oil-soluble metal salt of a carboxylic acid. The latter has fungicidal properties. A moldicide may also be added. Hein also disclosed a method of treatment, and his composition may be brushed, sprayed, painted, or used as a dip or soak or for pressurized or vacuum-treatment. PA1 10. U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,411 to Chapin discloses a high-gloss, germicidal, hard surface buffing composition comprising a solution of a solid waxy polyethylene glycol and a somewhat fungicidal quaternary ammonium chloride compound. PA1 11. U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,458 to Mineck teaches a non-wax, antiseptic polish in which the active ingredient is the microbicide, Povidone-Iodine. PA1 12. U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,366 to Sedun discloses a method for protecting wood from fungi and mold using an environmentally safe antifungal composition. The fungicide is one of the alkyl sulfosuccinates which is combined with an adjuvant and an oil, such as paraffinic mineral oil, and may also contain an antifoaming agent. An aqueous liquid wash concentrate or a powdered concentrate is produced. When diluted, this product is sprayed or used as a dip for freshly cut wood. PA1 13. U.S. Pat. No. 5,264,250 to Steele et al. discloses an antimicrobial hydrophilic coating for heat exchanger surfaces and a method of application. An inorganic wetting agent such a silica or a silicate is combined with an inorganic binder and an antimicrobial agent such as silver oxide. The resulting slurry is sprayed or painted or dipped onto heat exchangers such as are used in zero-gravity environments. PA1 14. U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,345 to Scarborough et al. teaches an aqueous water repellant coating, its method of manufacture, and its method of use. It is comprised of an organic water-repellant composition containing oil, wax, or an organometallic wax and a modified polyacrylate polymer emulsifier. An antimildew preservative may be added to the composition. PA1 15. U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,767 to Howard teaches the use of sodium silicate and a surfactant in aqueous solution to kill and prevent moss and fungi growth on porous surfaces such as roofing material, ceramic, wood siding, concrete, and asphalt. He also discloses a method of spray application and notes that prior art describes the use of zinc and copper ion-based algicidal and fungicidal coatings on roofing granules (citing U.S. Pat. No. 3,888,684 to Little). PA1 16. U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,644 to Thomassen discloses aqueous mildew-resistant coating compositions. These are used as clear or pigmented paints or as stain-blocking primers. The composition contains an organic mildewcide which is, e.g., isothiazolinone-based. PA1 1. Apply: To put on or spread on via brush, roller, spray apparatus or by dipping. PA1 2. Mildewcide Compound: Any substance that kills or inhibits the growth of mildew or its spores. PA1 3. Mildewcide Compound-Containing Mixture: Any mixture, especially a commercially available mixture, containing at least one mildewcide compound. PA1 4. Laden: Having added to; loaded, enriched. PA1 5. Film: A fine, thin skin, surface, layer, or coating. PA1 6. Surfaces: The outer faces or exteriors of either flexible or rigid objects. PA1 7. Durable: Lasting or continuing to exist after having been repeatedly subjected to low-pressure water spray. PA1 8. Mildew Resistant: Retarding, hindering or opposing the growth of mildew. PA1 9. Paintable: The ability to be uniformly and durably coated with a mixture of a pigment with oil, water etc. in a liquid form applied using a brush, roller, or spray gun. PA1 10. Sheen: Shininess or luster. PA1 11. Mimic: Inclined to copy, imitate, or closely resemble. PA1 12. Sacrificial: Having the nature to allow destruction or permit injury to. PA1 13. Film-Former: A substance which may be dissolved or suspended in an aqueous solution, and upon application of said solution or suspension to a solid surface, will be deposited as a film which remains upon said surface when rinsed about 20 to about 90 seconds after application. Examples include waxes, wax-fat mixtures, and wax-fat-silicone mixtures which are dissolvable or suspendable in an aqueous solution. PA1 14. Film-Depositing Composition: A film-former-containing composition that is able to deposit said film-former(s) as a film upon a surface where that composition is applied to the surface and that surface is then rinsed within about 20 to about 90 seconds after application of the composition, and where that film remains after this rinsing. PA1 15. Wax: A plastic substance which is typically harder when cold and easily molded when warm. Any waxlike substance yielded by plants or animals. Any of a group of substances with a waxy appearance made up variously of esters, fatty acids, free alcohols, and solid hydrocarbons. PA1 16. Natural Wax: Any waxlike substance yielded by or derived from plants or animals. PA1 17. Paraffinic Wax: A waxy solid substance consisting of a mixture of straight-chain, saturated hydrocarbons obtained chiefly from the distillation of petroleum. PA1 18. Invisible: That cannot be seen; not apparent; imperceptible; indistinct by simply viewing with the human eye. PA1 1. Film durability after spray application to various substrates; PA1 2. Ability to mimic the sheen of difference substrates after application; PA1 3. Recoatability of treated surfaces using latex and alkyd based paints; and PA1 4. Dissolvability of Busan 1030 in the aqueous dilution. PA1 1. At least one wax. The preferred waxes are natural waxes, more preferably carnauba wax. The concentration of wax in the composition is preferably about 0.1% to about 2% wt/wt, more preferably about 0.2% to about 0.5% wt/wt. PA1 2. At least one fatty amine, preferably at least one fatty amine conforming to the following structure: EQU CH.sub.3 (CH.sub.2).sub.n NH.sub.3.sup.+, CH.sub.3 C(O)O-- PA1 3. At least one amino silicone, preferaby at least one amino silicone conforming to the following structure: ##STR1## wherein: Me is a methyl group (--CH.sub.3); a is 100-1000, preferably 150-500; b is 1-10, preferably 2-5; and c is 2-4, preferably 2. The concentration of amino silicone in the composition is preferably about 0.01% to about 1%, more preferably about 0.1% to about 1%. PA1 4. At least one mildewcide compound selected from: PA1 5. At least one non-ionic surfactant, preferably at least one non-ionic surfactant conforming to the following structure: ##STR2## wherein: d is an integer ranging from 5 to 12, preferably 9; and e is an integer ranging from 4 to 12, preferably 9. The concentration of surfactant is preferably about 0.1% to about 5% wt/wt, more preferably about 0.5% to about 1% wt/wt. And PA1 6. An aqueous solvent, preferably water or an aqueous solution, and most preferably water (the balance). Typically about 85% to about 99% water may be used.
Among the mildewcidal and fungicidal products and treatment methods which have been developed are various inventions. These include:
Though applied in many ways, none of the above referenced patents teaches an alternative to the apply and dry method. Furthermore, the important issue of surface "sheen" and dried coating "sheen" is not broached therein. A specific example of sheen mismatch involves applying a clear coating which dries "flat" (i.e. to low or no luster) on both a high gloss (shiny luster) surface and a flat surface in the same operation. The flat dried coating upon the flat surface is virtually invisible. However, the flat dried coating upon the high gloss surface would be easily visible especially if viewed from the side. None of the above references addresses this problem.